Born and raised in Annapolis, Heather Van Gilder is a graphic designer with a special love for animals. Heather’s free time is spent hand lettering, illustrating pet portraits, and rehabilitating feral cats.

 

The illustrated triptych The Bewitching Coastline touches on how easy it is to escape something new to be somewhere familiar because it seems like the easiest option. The piece features a nautical theme that is central to the artist’s childhood, when, due to being heavily sheltered from the outside world, the only option she was given was to stick with what she knew.

 

Heather’s artwork will be paired with Away We Go by Christopher Hoh.